Starting Pitcher Matt Tracy Activated From DL

The Trenton Thunder, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, announced Thursday that left-handed pitcher Matt Tracy has been activated from the team's disabled list.  He is expected to start Thursday night's contest against the Harrisburg Senators.  LHP Fred Lewis has been placed on the DL (retroactive to 7/30) with a finger blister.

Tracy, rated as the 26th-best prospect in the Yankees system before the season byBaseball America, has been out since June 13th with a lower body injury.  The southpaw has made 13 appearances (12 starts) with the Thunder this season and gone 4-4 with a 5.49 ERA.  

--THUNDER--

Being posted with permission from the Trenton Thunder organization. Here is the Trenton Thunder roster. 

New York Yankees Off Day Youtube Video

On the day that Billy Martin was hired for the first time we take the time to share with you the Billy Martin memorial on WPIX. Enjoy the off day and enjoy the video. 

New York Yankees Off Day Music Recommendation

This about sums up my mood with this team lately, especially after the lack of action at the trading deadline. Enjoy the day off and we'll be back to work tomorrow in San Diego. Go Yankees!

Time To Play The Waiver Game Brian Cashman

Welcome to August baseball. What do I do if I am the GM of the Yankees today? I place Hiroki Kuroda, Brett Gardner, Robinson Cano, Vernon Wells, Ichiro Suzuki, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Lyle Overbay, Chris Stewart, Curtis Granderson, Boone Logan, and David Robertson on waivers. Most, if not all, of these men will clear waivers and will be available in trades with anyone. Why do I say this you ask?

We place the aformentioned guys on waivers because this may get out of hand in a hurry with 23 of our 49 games remaining against the three teams we are chasing in the AL East. Those teams, the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Tampa Bay Rays, have played us tough this season and are going to make or break the season and our playoff hopes. Brian Cashman, and you Yankees fans reading this, have to be prepared to blow this team up. In no way do I want to trade anyone listed above, before that even gets started, but it may have to happen in the end.

Brian Cashman has been trying to rebuild the farm system since 2005 and we have not had many impact guys come out of the system since. If Cashman really wants to rebuild the farm a trade of Hiroki Kuroda and Brett Gardner alone rebuilds the farm over night. Add in a David Robertson trade or a Robinson Cano trade and we have one of the best farm systems in all of baseball. As much as I would hate to blow it up, hell let's be honest I refuse to blow it up, it may be done before the August 31st waiver trade deadline.

The Yankees Schedule The Rest Of The Way

The Yankees are within striking distance of a playoff shot via the Wild Card, although the AL East seems like a distant dream at this point, but that may change very quickly. The Yankees have a favorable schedule by facing the Padres for three games, the White Sox for six games, The Angels for four games, the Blue Jays ten times, the Giants three times, and the Astros three more times which could really help the playoff push. If the Yanks can go, and they really should especially if they are healthy, 18-8 in those 26 games against the "favorable" teams I think we have a very legit shot at the Wild Card.

The teams standing in our way are also scattered all over the remaining schedule for the Yankees. All in all we play the Boston Red Sox ten times, the first place Rays six times, The Orioles seven times, and the Detroit Tigers three more times before the 2013 season ends. In those 23 remaining games we would honestly be lucky to go 13-10 in those games. That will not be enough at all to cut into the AL East lead so it seems like Wild Card or bust.

If the Yankees can beat the teams that they are supposed to beat then there is no reason we cannot send this team to a Wild Card series. If the Yankees offense and pitching continues to be inconsistent or non existent than we may have trouble seeing October baseball this season.

David Robertson Unavailable With Arm Fatigue

Joe Girardi confirmed that David Robertson was not used today or for a second inning in Tuesday nights loss due to arm fatigue. Robertson came to Girardi and told him that he felt a little overworked with his recent workload so Girardi decided to give him some extra time off. Hopefully it is nothing more than that and the offense can give him an extra night or two off in San Diego as well. Get well David, we need you.

Today Is 80's Night In Trenton With Michael Jackson

The Trenton Thunder are hosting 80's night tonight featuring Michael Jackson! Yes I know that Michael Jackson is dead but it is still a cool feature and attraction. There will be post game fireworks after the game as well presented by Bucks County Courier Times. Pete Carter, the number one Michael Jackson impersonator on the East coast, will be there performing for the fans on Thirsty Thursday. You can buy your tickets HERE or at the gate.

Morning Bits

Good morning everyone!

The Yankees broke a scoreless tie in the top of the 9th inning last night and then held on to defeat the Dodgers.

Clayton Kershaw and Hiroki Kuroda were both brilliant in a true pitchers duel.

Lyle Overbay once again came through in the clutch with an RBI  hit in the 9th inning to give the Yankees the first run of the game.  A throwing error by Mark Ellis gave the Yankees two more runs to make it 3-0.

Mariano Rivera earned his 34th save this year for the Yankees.

The Yankees are off today and will resume their quest for a wildcard when they start a three-game series with the Padres in San Diego tomorrow night.  The Padres series will be the last West Coast series that the Yankees play this season.

Friday night's game will also be the last 10:10 PM ET start time game for the Yankees this year, something many fans will be pleased about as they read this with bleary eyes from staying up to watch the end of last night's game.

The trade deadline came and went with Brian Cashman once again displaying no creativity, imagination, guts, or the ability to get a trade done to help the Yankees.

The "genius" who has spent over two BILLION dollars in payroll the last 12 years and only won one title has been outperformed by the Red Sox, Giants, and Cardinals in the same time frame.  The last trade Cashman won was with Nick Swisher and that trade took place in 2008.  When your GM is "o-fer" the Obama Administration in trades, chances are your team may start to struggle sooner than later.

Now on to today's news links:

Billy Witz of the New York Times sums it up perfectly with this article about the Yankee management wasting a gallant effort by their aging core.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News has this piece about Cashman's inability to get anything done and failure to acquire Michael Young, who was exactly what the Yankees needed.

Mark Feinsand also has this article about Curtis Granderson's comeback, which is scheduled for Friday against the Padres.

Have a great day everyone!

Yankees offense breaks through in ninth for 3-0 win in LA

Thanks to seven shutout innings from Hiroki Kuroda, a scoreless eighth from Boone Logan, and a perfect ninth from Mariano Rivera, the Yankees were able to shutout the Dodgers tonight at Dodger Stadium for a 3-0 win and split in this two-game series. This one was tied heading into the top of the ninth, but in that inning Lyle Overbay gave the Bombers the lead with a pinch-hit single followed by an error that pushed through two more runs. With the win, the Yankees are 56-51 on the year, back to 2.5 games behind the Orioles in the Wild Card Race. 

This Day In New York Yankees History 8/1

On this day in 1975 Billy Martin was hired for the first of his five times as the Yankees manager replacing Bill Virdon. Virdon never won a game at Yankees Stadium in his two season tenure as the Yankees skipper since the Yankees played their games in Shea Stadium from 1974-1975 while Yankees Stadium was being renovated.